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 LYMOB 471 LYNDWOOD

he is placed. It is a true statement of fact whether in Owen Roe O'Neill. The date at which he became reality he be guilty or not. This must be imderstood archdeacon of Tuam is uncertain. Driven from Gal- of all mental restrictions which are lawful. The virtue way after the capture of the city by the Puritans in of truth requires that, imless there is some special 1652, he lived the remainder of his life in exile in reason to the contrary, one who speaks to another France. During these years he wrote a biography of should speak frankly and openly, in such a way that his uncle Dr. Kuwan, Bishop of Killala, and a work he will be understood by the person addressed. It is called "Alithonologia", givmg an account of the not lawful to use mental reservations without good Anglo-Irish under Elizaoeth. But his greatest work reason. According to the common teaching of St. is "Cambrensis Eversus", published in 1662. Writ- Thomas and other divines, the hurtful lie is a mortal ten in vigorous Latin and characterized by great sin, but merely officious and jocose lies are of their leamingand research, its declared objectwas to expose own nature venial. the calumnies of Gerald Barry about Ireland, and The doctrine which has been expounded above re- without doubt L3mch completely vindicates his coun- produces the common and universally accepted teach- try "against the aspersions of her slanderer." mg of the Catholic schools throughout the Middle, f^?"»J''«r»*»« ,Sf7fV«»,S^«v^^^ (Dublin, 1848); Wabb, Ages until recent tunes. From the middle of the (Bd^i^lg^)!^^^* ^^®^^' H^"^» ^"'^ ^/ ^'^'^ eighteenth century onwards a few discordant voices * * E. A. D'Alton. have been heard from time to time. Some of these, as

Van der Velden and a few French and Bel^an writers, Lyndwood, William, Bishop of St. David's and the

while admittmg that m general a lie is mtrinsically greatest of English canonists, b. about 1375; d. in

wrong, yet argued that there are exceptions to the 1446. He had a distinguished ecclesiastical career,

r^®*,*^®/*'^ .^V^^¥^^*"?^^^^"^^7^®^^^?*it®? being appointed "Official" of the Archbishop of

in self-defence it is lawful to tell a lie. Others wished Canterbury (i. e. his principal adviser and representar

to change the received definition of a he. A recent ti ve in matters of ecclesiastical law) in 1414, and Dean

writer m the Pans series, ''Science et Rehgion, wishes of the Arches in 1426, while holding at the same time

to add to the common definition some such words as several important benefices and prebends. In 1434 he


 * made to one who has a nght to the truth". So that ^^g niade Archdeacon of Stow in the Diocese of Lin-

a false statement Imowingly made to one who has not coin, and in 1442, after an earnest recommendation

a nght to the truth will not be a he. This, however, from King Henry VI himself, he was promoted by the

seems to ignore the malice which a he has m itself, hke pope to the vacant See of St. David's. During these

hypocnsy, and to denve it solely from the social con- years many other matters besides the study of canon

sequence of lying. Most of these wnters who attack Ja^ had occupied Lyndwood's attention. He had been

the common opinion show that they have very imper- closely associated with Archbishop Henry Chichele in

fectly grasped its true meamng. At any rate they his proceedings against the Lollards. He had also

have made little or no impression on the common several times acted as the chosen representative of the

teaching of the Catholic schools. English clergy in their discussions with the Crown over

(S^ also Mental Reservation.) subsidies, but more especially he had repeatedly been

Summa (Rome, 1603): Latmann, ^heologia moralU (Munich sent abroad upon diplomatic missions-^, g., to FortU-

1634); Newman, Apologia, Appendix 8 (London, 1864); Wat- gal, France, the Netherlands, etc. — besides actmg as

FEi^ERT. Disaertatian awr u MeMonge (Brugw. iMMi); Slatm. the king^s proctor at the Council of Basle in 1433 and

A Manual of Moral Theoloffy, I (New York, 1908); and the ♦«!,;««« ^zLr^.^:^^^* ^««4. „« »,w.^4.:»4.^. :« Aw-on<^«%«*

moraliata genemlly. taking a promment part as negotiator m arranging

T. Slateb. political and commercial treaties Despite the fact

that so much of L3nidwood's energies were spent upon Ljmch, John, historian, b. at Galway, Ireland, purely secular concerns nothing seems ever to have 1599; d. in France, 1673^ was the son of Alexander been said a^nst his moral or religious character. He Lynch, who kept a classical school at Galway. In was buried m the crj'pt of St. Stephen's, Westminster, such repute was this school held that there were no where his body was found in 1852, wrapped in a cere- less than 12(X) students, nor were they confined to cloth and almost without signs of corruption. Connaught alone but came from every province in Lyndwood, however, is chiefly remembered for his Ireland. For a Catholic to keep a public school in great commentary upon the ecclesiastical decrees those days was a serious offence, and when Ussher enacted in English provincial councils under the presi- visited Galway in 16152 calling Lvnch before him he dency of the Archbishops of Canterbury. This elabo- severely reprimanded him. compelled him to close his rate work, commonly known as the *'Provinciale'*, school at once, and boimd him under heavy bail not follows the arrangement of the titles of the Decretals to reopen it. Young Lvnch received his early educa- of Gregory IX in the "Corpus Juris ", and forms a com- tion from his father and from him imbibed his love of plete gloss upon all that English l^islation witii classical leamii^. Feeling a call to the priesthood which, in view of special needs and local conditions, he left Galway for France, pursued his studies under it was found necessary here, as elsewhere, to supple- the Jesuits there, in due time was ordained priest, and ment the common law (jus commune) of the Church, returned to his native town in 1622. He established Lyndwood's gloss affords a faithful picture of the a classical school, which like his father's was attended views accepted among the English clergy of his day by many students. Penal legislation compelled hkn upon all sorts of subjects. In particular, the much to exercise his ministry by stealth, and to say Mass vexed question of the attitude of the Ecdesia Anglir in secret places and private houses. But after 1042 cana towards the jurisdiction claimed by the popes the churches were ojien and he was free to say Mass there finds its complete solution. Prof. F. W. Maii- in public, and exercise his ministry in the hght of land some years ago produced a profound sensation by day. More of a scholar and of a student than of a appealing to Lyndwood against the pet historical fig- politician. Lynch took no prominent part in the stirring ment of modern Anglicans, that the "Canon Law of events of the next ten years. His opinions however Rome, though always regarded as of great authority were well known. Like so many others of the Anslo- in England, was not held to be binding on the English Irish, though he abhorred the penal laws against Iub ecclesiastical courts" (Ene. Hist. Rev., 1896, p. 446). creed and had suffered from them, he was loyal to How successfully Maitland, armed with the irrefraga- England. He therefore condemned the rebeluon of ble evidmce which Lyndwood supplies, has demol- 1641, viewed with no enthusiasm the Catholie Con- i^ed lliis legend, may be proved by a reference to one federation, approved of the cessation of 1643 and of of the most authoritative legal works of recent date, the peace of 1646 and 1648, and entirely disapproved vii., "The Laws of England" edited by Lord Chw- of the pohcy of the nuncio and of the oonouet of cellor Halsbury (vol. XI, 1910, p. 377). *'In. ig«ftr